Babbel whinging about the work he has to do in the premiership. Our foreigners don't seem to complain.

Liverpool defender Markus Babbel has labelled life in the Premiership as "brutal". The 28-year-old German international has done well since moving to Merseyside on a Bosman free transfer from Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich last summer.

But Babbel insists that he has been surprised by the different nature of the game Over here.

"It's a type of gladiatorial warfare, without the benefit of a closed safety helmet," Babbel told the Daily Star.

"I had to adapt myself to it very quickly. There is a brutal distinction between the English game and Germany's. Some of the things that go on are sheer madness. Referees seldom blow their whistles, and this makes the play incredibly fast.

"Liverpool play me on the right side of their defence, which means I have to run twice or three times as much as I used to do when I played as a centre-back. Up and down, up and down all the time," he added.

-- Anonymous, December 21, 2000

Answers

Having said that it goes without saying (?) that I'd have him in our CENTRAL DEFENCE as soon as it can be arranged.

-- Anonymous, December 21, 2000